1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to an economical and effective method of and apparatus for flushing beverage syrup from a post-mix beverage dispensing valve, using water from the beverage water supply.
2. The Prior Art
Post-mix beverages are the normal form of beverage dispensed into a cup at fast food retailers. A beverage concentrate or syrup is provided to the retailer for soft drinks, tea, coffee, juice and the like. The retailer has a dispensing valve that mixes one part of syrup with several parts of water to make a finished drink for the consumer. A typical soft drink has one part of syrup dispensed and mixed into five parts of carbonated water.
Sanitation has not been a problem with post-mix soft drinks because the syrups have not degraded or been biologically active when left in the dispensing valves. Mechanical sanitation shields have been used to keep flies and insects out of the nozzles during use and periods of non-use. These shields have been of limited success and are disliked by the retailers and do not see common use. Dried syrup residue does build up inside of the nozzle and attracts insects and rodents, and little or nothing has been done about it because the health agencies have more or less been unable to devise an effective correction of the problem.
A new form of beverage is being offered and is preferred by the consumer that is intensifying the need for a method and structure to economically and easily clean post-mix dispensing valves. This new beverage is the soft drink having real juice in it. For example, a lemon-lime soft drink with 10 percent real juice is currently available. Orange flavor beverages with 5-15 percent real orange juice are being tested. These beverages offer a significant opportunity for the citrus industry and are a healthful and positive development for new popular beverage with nutritional value. It is expected that the consuming public will become enamoured of these beverage blends with real juice and that 50 percent blends will eventually become preferred and available in the market place.
Existing soft drink equipment is unable to guarantee sanitary dispensing and correct flavor of these beverages. The syrups for these beverages can spoil in the dispensing valve and nozzle and contaminate the dispensing valve and give off-taste as well as be biologically contaminated and very unsightly.
There are several successful post-mix dispensing valves being utilized. Specific examples are offered by The Cornelius Company, Alco Standard, McCann Engineering, Booth, Flomatic, and Concession Services. None of the commercialized dispensing valves and systems have an economically effective method or structure for cleaning and flushing of syrup from the valve.